The junta in Burkina Faso has decided to end the independent electoral commission, authorities announced on Wednesday.
The government decided late Wednesday to do away with the Independent Electoral Commission that was in place to organize elections due to the cost, according to Minister of Territorial Administration Emile Zerbo.
Zerbo said that abolishing the commission would bolster the nation’s sovereignty over the country’s electoral process and limit the influence that foreign nations can have over the country.
The junta took over in 2022 after it seized power from Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba months after a coup removed democratically elected President Roch Marc Kaboré. Since taking power, the leaders have enacted several reforms, including the passage of a charter that extended the transition period to 60 months (5 years), effectively postponing elections that would have restored civilian rule.
Burkino Faso is just one of many West African nations that have experienced military takeover as an answer to dissatisfaction with previous governments due to security concerns. Within the Sahel region, made up of Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria, Burkina Faso is joined by Mali, Niger and Chad as nations under military rule.
The transitional government has been governing Burkina Faso under a constitution adopted by a national assembly composed of military officers, civil society representatives, and traditional and religious leaders. The original date planned for the country to return to democratic elections was July 2024.
